1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to water obtained from reduction by electrolysis (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9celectrolytic reduced waterxe2x80x9d), and more particularly, to electrolytic reduced water having an effect to inhibit metastasis of cancer cells. The present invention also relates to method and apparatus of producing such electrolytic reduced water.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, mortality from cancer has been rising all over the world. A major factor of the death by cancer is remote metastasis to other organs, which in many cases has already occurred when a person is given a diagnosis of cancer.
In the current cancer treatment, however, cure is often difficult once the cancer has metastasized. Solving this problem will be a key to overcome the cancer.
Metastasis of a cancer cell takes three steps of adhesion, decomposition and invasion of the cancer cell to a basement membrane that is formed of collagen, laminin, fibronectin or the like. Activation of a group of metal catalyst, called matrix metalloprotease, by the cancer cell is known to play an important role in the metastasis. At present, chemotherapy for cancer focuses on treatment of the cancer cells already abnormal. Such therapy often exhibits insufficient effects due to the problems of selectivity, side effects and resistance with respect to the cancer. Thus, as new means for cancer treatment, an anti-cancer drug that can suppress metastasis with fewer side effects has been under development.
It is known that intracellular oxidation in various cancer cell strains is considerably greater than in normal cell strains. It has also been reported that the superoxide anion radical (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cSARxe2x80x9d) promotes the metastasis of cancer cells. The applicant has already proposed high concentration hydrogen dissolved water obtained by electrolysis which has potency to prevent or repair damages to DNA caused by the SAR (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-118653 (U.S. Ser. No. 08/917,336)).
To produce such high concentration hydrogen dissolved water (i.e., electrolytic reduced water) applicable to cancer treatment, tap water has been electrolyzed with NaCl dissolved therein as electrolysis promoting catalyst. This method has an advantage that it is possible to obtain not only the electrolytic reduced water (at the cathode side), but also bactericidal water having an oxidizing property at the anode side. However, the method also poses a problem that, at the time of electrolysis of the NaCl solution, hypochlorous acid and chlorine gas are produced in large amounts and dissolve into the electrolytic reduced water. Water containing hypochlorous acid and chlorine gas is unsuitable for drinking and considered being carcinogenic. Thus, the conventional method is unable to produce electrolytic reduced water highly effective in cancer treatment.
The present invention is directed to solve the above-mentioned problems. A main object of the present invention is to provide electrolytic reduced water completely free of hypochlorous acid and chlorine gas that is applicable to cancer treatment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing such electrolytic reduced water.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing such electrolytic reduced water.
In general, electrolytic water is obtained by electrolyzation of water, both in cathode and anode chambers. The electrolytic reduced water described herein, however, does not refer to all such electrolytic water. Reduction only takes place in the cathode chamber, and therefore, the reduced water is obtained only in the cathode chamber. Thus, the electrolytic reduced water disclosed in the present invention can be defined as water which has been reduced by electrolysis in the cathode chamber and has its oxidation-reduction potential of a negative value.
The electrolytic reduced water according to a first aspect of the present invention is obtained by electrolyzing water including NaOH therein.
As such NaOH solution is completely free of chlorine, the electrolysis of the solution produces neither hypochlorous acid nor chlorine gas.
In the electrolytic reduced water according to a second aspect of the present invention, the concentration of NaOH is selected within a range from 0.0001N to 0.02N.
If bubbles are vigorously produced during electrolysis, atomic hydrogen or hydrogen radicals themselves are also coupled to form hydrogen gas and escape from within the water. Thus, in the electrolysis accompanied by such intense bubbling, the amount of hydrogen radicals dissolved in the electrolytic reduced water (refined liquid at the cathode side) is unlikely to increase from a fixed amount. Therefore, it is desirable that the least possible amount of bubbles is produced during the electrolysis to attain a larger amount of dissolved hydrogen. By selecting the NaOH concentration within the range from 0.0001N to 0.02N, substantially no bubbles are generated during the electrolysis, and thus, it is possible to obtain stable electrolytic reduced water.
In addition, by selecting the NaOH concentration within this range, it is possible to cause electrolytic reaction approximately at the same level as in the case of tap water.
In the electrolytic reduced water according to a third aspect of the present invention, the concentration of NaOH is selected within the range from 0.0001N to 0.002N.
By selecting the NaOH concentration within this range, electrolytic reduced water with an increased amount of hydrogen dissolved therein can be obtained.
The electrolytic reduced water according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes a hydrogen radical.
The electrolytic reduced water according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is electrolytic reduced water including a hydrogen radical that is obtained by electrolyzing water containing NaOH.
The electrolytic reduced water according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is an anti-cancer drug made of a water solution containing a hydrogen radical.
The electrolytic reduced water according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is obtained by electrolyzing water containing NaOH, which has an oxidation-reduction potential of at most xe2x88x9250 mV, a dissolved oxygen amount of at most 9.5 ppm and a dissolved hydrogen amount of at least 300 ppb.
In the method of producing electrolytic reduced water according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a water solution containing NaOH is first introduced into both a cathode chamber and an anode chamber that are separated by a diaphragm. With a cathode electrode being immersed in the cathode chamber and an anode electrode immersed in the anode chamber, electricity is applied between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode to electrolyze the water solution containing NaOH. Electrolytic reduced water is obtained in the cathode chamber, which is drawn out therefrom.
According to the method, the NaOH solution is used as electrolyte, which is free of chlorine. Therefore, it is possible to obtain electrolytic reduced water completely free of hypochlorous acid and chlorine gas.
In the method of producing electrolytic reduced water according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the electrolysis is effected with the cathode and anode chambers both being sealed.
Accordingly, it is possible to suppress generation of hydrogen gas while conducting the electrolysis, thereby increasing the amount of dissolved hydrogen.
In the method of producing electrolytic reduced water according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the electrolysis is conducted with voltage, current and time that are selected such that no hydrogen gas is generated from the cathode chamber.
Accordingly, cathode water having a large amount of dissolved hydrogen can be obtained in the cathode chamber.
The apparatus for producing electrolytic reduced water according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention includes: filter means for filtrating raw water to produce clear water; NaOH add means for adding a NaOH solution to the clear water filtrated by the filter means; and an electrolysis tank having cathode and anode chambers separated by a diaphragm, to which the clear water having the NaOH solution added therein is introduced.
As the apparatus is provided with the NaOH add means, it is possible to electrolyze the water solution including NaOH, producing neither hypochlorous acid nor chlorine gas.
In the apparatus for producing electrolytic reduced water according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, a first conduit is provided between the NaOH add means and the electrolysis tank to introduce the clear water with the NaOH solution to the electrolysis tank. A second conduit is connected to the electrolysis tank, which draws cathode water discharged from the cathode chamber outwards. A third conduit is connected to the electrolysis tank to draw anode water discharged from the anode chamber outwards. First, second and third valves are provided in the first, second and third conduits, respectively, to open/close the relevant conduits. The apparatus also includes means for controlling opening/closing of the first, second and third valves.
According to the apparatus, it is possible to perform electrolysis with the cathode and anode chambers being sealed by closing the first, second and third valves. This enables production of the cathode water containing a large amount of dissolved hydrogen.
The electrolytic reduced water according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is obtained in the cathode chamber.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.